Foldable wheel chair



E., FARGO FOLDABLE WHEEL CHAIR July 24, 1924 Filed Nov. 29, w27.

Patented Nov. 29, i921?.

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patentiert, isa.,

EDWIN FARGO, OIE" SYRACSE, NEW YORK.

roLnaBLn vinnen. CHAIR,

Application filed July 34,

This invention relates to a wheel chair of the folding type adapted tobe used by invalids or others, in anupright or reclining posture.

The main object is to provide a chair of this character in which theseat and arm rests will be held in a substantially horizontal position,while permitting theadjustn ment of the back and foot rests to differentinclinations or angles from a substantially vertical to a substantially`horizontal position and vice versa.

Another object is to provide 4adjustable means for bracing andholding'the folding members in their different positions of ad justment.

A further object is to enable the seat to remain in substantially thesamefhorizontal position while theother parts are being adj uste d;

A still further object is to enable thevfoot rest to conform to`diderent positions of the feet during said adjustments. i i i y Otherobjects and uses relatingto specific parts of the chair will be broughtout in the following description.

porting an axle -S-"which carries a pairl of wheels -ll-q said wheelsbeing provided with annular rings 5 secured to the outer end facesthereof for propelling the chair by hand. e

The rear end of the frame 1,- is provided with a single central bearing-6` carrying a downwardly and rearwardly in clined steeringr post -7-which is prefer]- ablyforked or bifurcated and is adapted to receive andsupport a suitable steering' Wheel 8- some distance to the rear of and1nidway between the wheels 4 y f rlhe main frame 1- Vis adapted toreceive and support a suitable seat or cushion -9- and is provided withopposite side bars --l0- extending forwardly and rearieae. seriai Np.727,948.

below the upper face Aof the seat -9- and above the axle -3. Y y l iThese side bars --10- extend forwardly and rearwardly beyond the seat-9- and serve vasa means of support for some ofthe folding partspresently described.

Opposite pairs of parallel bars or levers -11- `are pivoted intermediatetheir ends at 12* to the forward extensions fof the bars S9- and extendsome distance above and below said bars `for receiving and sup- Yporting at their lowerends,` suitable connecting links '1S-, their'upper ends being Y pivotally attached at 16. to opposite arms -17- ofthechair. u f

The rear ends of the arms 17 are pivotally attached at b 18" to theintermediate portions ofopposite sides of aback rest @19.- which in turnis pivotally supported at its lower ends at M20 to therearwardextensions .of the bars l0- l y t,

A pair of braces -21- are ,pivotedfat their upper ends to vthepivotalbolt H16- and are provided with longitudinal lengthv Wise slots+22- for receiving clamping members as bolts -.28- on the side barsrnvv10-4, said bolts being` provided with hand nuts *2li-.by which thebraces may be clamped `in different positions ofadjustment as thefolding parts are adjustedto different positions. l

The links --l3 are pivotally connected at 14 to the lower ends of thecorrewardly in a substantially horizontal plane 1 spondinp;` pairs ofparallel arms -11--vto i assist in holding said arms in parallelism, y

it being understood that the 4distance between the pivots --Mfand alsobetween the pivots --12-` and between y the pivots 41dat each'side ofthe chair are spaced equal distances apart for maintaining` theVparallelism of, the Ybars l1- in. all posi-r.

tions of adjustment. y f t lt willalso be observed that the distancebetween the pivots 12 and 16- at each sido of the chair is equal to thedistance between the pivots 20- and 18" connecting the rear .ends of`the arms *17m and bars -l 0- tothe back rest -l9-- thereby maintainingaparallel relation between said bars 10" and'arins-lin all positions ofadjustment of the arms and back rest.

A legirest -l5- is secured to and between the lower portions of the rearbars -11 directly in front of the seat 9- and main frame m1, vand alsoin front ofthe axle vin '-3-1 wholly between the bars -f-lO- and links-13- so as to move with the arms -11- as the latter are adjusted toditferent anales. J

foot Irest -25- is pivoted intermediate its front and rear edges to thelowerv ends of thev front upright arms 1lby the same pivotal bolts -14-,which connects said arms to the links -13-, so as to swing freely aboutthe axis of said pivot between said 'arms and to diderent anglesrelatively thereto, as the folding parts of the chair ar'adjusted todiiferent'positions2 ythe rear edges of the' foot rest being providedwith laterally projecting shoulders 26- adapted to enga e `theundersides' of the links forlimiting the'forward and downward swingingmovement of the front edge of the footrest to a substantially horizontalpositionwhen thefolding parts are adjusted to their normal uprightpositions `as shown by `:llulllin'es in Figure?, Yand at 'the sametimex'perinitting the front edge ofthe `foot rest to rock upwardly andrearwardly indeendently of the links-il3 and to,k dif- .erentarglesrelatively to the arms -l 1-. lThey object ot' this freedom otmovement ofthe foot rest --25- is to enable it to autoadjust *itselftothe feet of the occupantV when' the folding parts are adjusted tovarious positions according vto thc `co:nvenifence of the ocup'ant.l jThe yu per ends of the braces 2lare pivotally vc cinfnected to the arms-l-'by f the new pivots +16- which, Garnet the fupper endsk of the` reararm/ s -l-lltoK the Aarm rests -ll-` said braces inclininfr downif D i i"wardly. and rearwardly'fiom their upper endsfacross the bars iQ-. 1rbetween the back restV +19- and rear arms 7411--,` andare,

free 'to slide across the bars -lO--Mas the -folding parts are adjustedto different positions, the v'clamping nuts serving to tighten andloosen the braces andv thereby to and release thetoliling partsin andfrom their different positions of adjustment. 'lhet seat -Q-,bafck rest19`-7 and, leg rest elli-f are upholstered in any suitable vtheoccupant, while the foot rest -25- is provided with a suitabletread-mat. Q7- to avoid slipping of the feet thereon and also for thegreater convenience and safely of the occupant.

The pivot connecting the rear upright Operation.

It will be noted that the various folding )arts are assembled in suchmanner that the akrest -9- and leg rest l5-A- may be folded fromsubstantiallyvertical positions to approximately horizontal positions sothat the chair may be usedin various inclined positionsl orextended 'tobe used as a couch, and that in all of these, various positions ofadjustment the arms rests ,-17- remain in a substantially horizontalposition while the freedoni'of movement of the Atoot rest 255'- permitsit to readily conform to the'varying positions ot the feet from ahorizontal to a substantially vertical position or any intermediatepositions of inclination, all of which increases thc safety andconvenience ot the apparatus and enablesthe occupant to control theymovements otv the chair through the medium of the hand rings -5 "claimIn yunfolding chair, a rigid seat, hingedy rest'tfor pivotal movement'independently of the" backVV and leg rests and outwardly dirented luesat the under side of the opposite ,ends of t `e foot rest at the inner,edge thereof adapted forengagcment with the under sides or' the adjacentlinks to limit downward movement ot' the outer edge of the foot rest'.ln witness whereofl have hereunto set my hand this 16th day otf July,1924. j

A j l' EDWlN FARGQ.' Y'

